


Columbine and Baby's breath

by GraspingAtDeadVines



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Bi Jeremy, M/M, Mutual Pining, Rich's bullshit, Trans Michael, Will Add More Later, gayyy, help these dorky boys, mentioned RichJake, passive agressive flowers, shitty parenting, the roast of michaels mom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-12
Updated: 2017-08-26
Packaged: 2018-12-14 09:33:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11780352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GraspingAtDeadVines/pseuds/GraspingAtDeadVines
Summary: Even  despite  mothers day coming up over the horizon the tiny shop was still almost completely vacant. Jeremy took the liberty of sitting on the floor of the shop quietly on his phone not expecting any one to come in.The small bell on the top of the door rang loudly interrupting the silence and Jeremy sat up quickly, making himself dizzy from the blood rushing to his head.He watched another boy stalk up to the counter quickly and stop when he got there.Jeremy stood shellshocked for a moment before the other boy before greeting him, "Oh-er um, hello how can I help you sir?"The boy looked at him for a second before slamming down his palm on the table and revealing a twenty dollar bill, "How do I say 'fuck you' in flower?"





	1. Meadowsweet and Basil

**Author's Note:**

> yes cliche i know but i wanted to so.

"Rich no," Jeremy smacked lightly at Rich's hand as he tried to trim around a leaf, "Those aren't done growing yet leave them alone." Rich scowled for a second and dropped the pair of scissors onto the bench. 

"I don't know Jeremy, maybe they'll get told they will grow more when they're fourteen but maybe they're done growing and everyone had lied to them. Maybe they'll spend their nights trying to stretch themselves out and be taller-" 

"Listen Rich if you're gonna take your pent up shortness anger on a flower take it out on the peonies they're overrated anyways." Jeremy moved past him to get to the front room, grabbing a spray bottle full of water before piveting on his heel and going back to Rich and handing it to him, "Or you can just agressively water the orchids." Rich rolled his eyes grabbing at the bottle and mumbling under his breathe and sneezing as Jeremy walked up to the front. 

He sighed looking over the empty little room, usually one or two people would come in a day, hipsters and old folks, but it had been as if the apocalypse had occurred and besides him and Rich no one else was alive. 

Even despite mothers day coming up over the horizon the tiny shop was still almost completely vacant. Jeremy took the liberty of sitting on the floor of the shop quietly on his phone not expecting any one to come in. 

The small bell on the top of the door rang loudly interrupting the silence and Jeremy sat up quickly, making himself dizzy from the blood rushing to his head. 

He watched another boy stalk up to the counter quickly and stop when he got there. 

Jeremy stood shellshocked for a moment before the other boy before greeting him, "Oh-er um, hello how can I help you sir?"

The boy looked at him for a second before slamming down his palm on the table and revealing a twenty dollar bill, "How do I say 'fuck you' in flower?" 

Jeremy was taken back by the question at first and pondered over his knowledge of meanings for a moment before looking back at the guy who was fiddling with his glasses, "I'd say meadowsweet and basil flowers, they're both kind of garnish flowers so I'd recommend choosing another prettier one too but..."

The two locked eyes for a second before the glasses boy keeled over in a fit of laughs, Jeremy fidgeted awkwardly for a minute before joining in with a few second hand chuckles as well. When the guys laughing died down he spoke, "Oh my God, you actually knew some hatred flowers that's hilarious." The guy held his hand out for Jeremy to shake and he took it while watching him fight back a few extra giggles he still had. "Michael, nice to meet you, erm..." Michael looked at him for a second and he spotted his nametag, "Jeremy! Nice to meet you Jeremy."

Michael smiled at him before he answered, "Hi Michael. And if you don't mind me asking what are the angry flowers for?" Jeremy questioned him watching as he fiddled mindlessly with his red hoodie strings and looking at the patches on his jacket.

"Oh yeah, my mom's expecting some sorta gift and even if she doesn't know what they mean I will and that's a victory for me." He laughed to indicate the not so serious atmosphere around them and Jeremy continued talking. 

"Right, okay so the basil and meadowsweet are hatred and uselessness, orange lilies for a main center that also means hatred, and a single daffodil represents misfortune how does that sound to you Michael?" Jeremy thought outloud about the flowers and Michael nodded with a hum to signal his approval. 

"Alright when do you need it?" Michael rubbed his chin to overdramatically excentuate his thinking and Jeremy laughed under his breathe about his game of dramatics, Michael noticed and smiled dorkily back at him. "Probably tomorrow." 

Jeremy exhaled, "Okay see you tomorrow, can we get your number to call you in?" Michael recited his number ad Jeremy typed it out into his phone with no paper nearby. 

"Feel free to text me whenever you want," Michael pointed finger guns and winked dorkily at him earning another laugh from Jeremy as he exited the building. 

Oh fuck how is he gonna get all that done by tomorrow do they even have meadowsweet on hand, Jeremy mentally started panicking.

• • •

Michael pulled his headphones back onto his ears and pressed play on his phone, mindlessly listening as he walked down the street back to his house. He sighed as he walked mentally preparing himself for whatever his mom would have to say knowing fully that there was always something he did wrong in her eyes. God to her she wasn't even a him, it was ridiculous to everyone else but to him it was just reality. 

He cleared his brain from those thoughts and thought more about the florist from the recent event. He snorted to himself at his own comments only really half kidding at the texting joke while simultaneously hoping that he actually would. Maybe not but definitely still a maybe so. 

He made a turn to the left stopping at a convience store before entering and grabbing a snack from one of the various shelves littered with various snacks. He checked out and handed the cashier his money, pocketed his change and left. He stashed the snack bag in his backpack before starting his walk home again. 

Soon he arrived pulling out his key and unlocking the door. He walked in and started his descent up to his room, unfortunately being interrupted before he could get the chance to get to the stairs. 

"Hey where have you been-" 

"Doing some homework with friends," He interrupted her before she could get to his name, his wrong name. 

"Really because I texted up all of their parents and they said they didn't know about any plans." His mother practically snarled matter of factly at him, "You know you have to get my permission before going anywhere after school. All your friends listen to their mothers. Then again all of their kids aren't crazy lesbian freaks." 

There it was. Of course she'd do this again, every single time. 

"Whatever, other peoples parents don't hate their kids either so I guess there's that." 

Michael's mother stood up and hovered over him, grabbing his shirt and pulling him forward, "You have no right to talk to me like that, I am your mother." 

Michael tsked and rolled his eyes, "Yes Miss Hannigan, We love you Miss Hannigan." His sarcastic reference sent her off the edge as he felt a sharp smack across his face. 

"Go! Get out of my face you freak!" and with that Michael hurriedly walked up the stairs, entering his room, closing the door, and locking it shut. 

With a sigh he dropped his bag at the foot of his bed and climbed into it pulling his blanket over himself and pulled his phone out of his pocket and entering his messages. 

To Dad: Can I spend the weekend at your house? 

From Dad: Sure thing, Mikey. I'll pick you up Friday afternoon alright champ? 

To Dad: Thanks Dad, love ya. 

From Dad: Love you too Kiddo. 

Michael sighed and plugged his phone in on his desk before turning on his side and curling up in his spot. He sighed and let sleep envelop him.


	2. Chrysanthemum and Primrose

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello hello hello if you were wondering how i choose the flowers for the chapter names i choose flowers with the meanings that best fit each chapter (: also thanks for the comments and kudos i appreciate it guys.

Buzz. Buzz. 

Michael turned on his side to try and avoid facing his vibrating phone. No please, no work today.

Buzz. Buzz. 

Damnit the alarm for work is suppost to be thirty seconds why hasn't it turned off yet? He turned back to his other side and grabbed his phone to see an incoming call from an unknown number. He contemplated for a moment looking to see the area code the same as his and answered. 

"Hello?" He answered gruffly surprised at how roigh his early morning voice was. Or maybe not morning? Late evening? 

"Oh uh, Hey this is Michael right?" the familiar voice on the other end asked as Michael rubbed an eye lazily. 

"This is he." He responded back more of a question then a statement from his confusion of who was calling at, he checked his watch, oh it was only seven thirty. 

"Hi Michael it's Jeremy from the floral shop on Pine?" Oh! Michael knew who this was. 

"Hey Jeremy what has you calling the Mikey man at a perfectly resonable time to be awake?" Michael heard a slight laugh on the other end followed by a faint shutting up of a guy named Rich, poor Rich, Michael thought.

"It's the evening, and I wanted to see if we could make some compromises about the arrangement? I don't think we can get everything on time." Jeremy stated wearily as if expected to be turned down on the subject. To be perfectly honest Michael didn't care, he really didn't care about what flowers he gave his mom at all. All he knew is that if he didn't she'd be even more  on his ass then she already was.

Michael shrugged before realizing it was a phone call and having to verbalize his gesture, "I trust your judgement, whatever you want to do is fine."

"God put your dick away Jeremy!" Michael heard a voice in the background yell before being quickly silenced and him having to hold in a laugh. 

"Shut up Rich it's a customer!" Michael could tell Jeremy tried to cover the microphone and failed but he didn't have the heart to tell him.

"Sorry about that Michael just a co-worker of mine, are you sure about the arrangement being up to me?" Jeremy questioned him before Michael assured him with a few yeahs.

"Alright thank you for your time Michael," Jeremy tried to formally end the call when Michael added on. 

"No thank You," he put emphasis on the you, "Oh and tell your friend Rich he's a hoot." 

Michael heard a faint wooping in the background and an exasperated sigh, "He heard you, bye Michael"

"Bye Jeremy."

The phone clicked and the call ended. Michael sat his phone next to him and flopped back down onto his pillow, right after doing so his stomach began to rumble. Michael mentally swore at himself for not eating earlier and then again for not evening daring to want to go back downstairs and risk seeing the devil herself again. 

He sighed as his stomach rumbled again and he grabbed his backpack to pull out a paper he was supposed to fill out for work, as he unzipped the bag he saw a bag of unopened snacks and practically cried thanking himself for thinking ahead earlier.

He devored it like he hadn't eaten in months and honestly he didn't even care he was so hungry at that very moment in time. After eating all the contents of the bag he carefully folded it and put it in his backpack to throw away the next day at work.

Knowing now that he definitely wouldn't be falling back to sleep after his 2:30 nap escapades he picked his phone back up and set the number that called him as Jeremy's phone contact. Then typed out a message. 

To Jeremy: Hey, kno this is kinda weird but u seem really cool wanna chill sometime?

His phone pinged about three minutes later, three minutes after Michael had fully given up hope.

From Jeremy: sure, we'll talk after you pick it up tomorrow.

From Jeremy: also rich wants you to know that you are 'also a hoot'

Michael laughed at the last message and set his phone down again, okay maybe he was tired enough to sleep again. Once he fully decided to rest again it was nine thirty and he was bored out of his mind. He layed back down and pulled the cover over him as he fell back into rest.

•    •    •

In the morning Jeremy was buzzing, not only was he able to make a flower arrangement the way he wanted to, he also made a new friend and he was excited beyind belief.

Rich told him to calm down he already had friends and sure him and Jake were definitely his friends but since those two started dating he felt more and more like a third wheel. And he was a firm believer that no one liked tricycles. Nobody.

So someone actually taking interest in being his friend, even if it was just to cut out his kidneys and sell them on the black market, he still considered it a win in his book.

So arranging Chrysanthemums and Merigolds was making him so much more then happy, each carefully placed flower symbolized friendship and in a weird way even if it was for Michael's mom, it was for Michael.

When Michael opened the door to the shop while smiling and greeting Jeremy, he had already been expecting him and smiled back in an ever so dorky way. He handed him the bouquet and Michael began to pull out his wallet Jeremy refused.

"No, don't worry we couldn't get it exactly how you wanted so it's on us." Jeremy fired back after Michael continued to try to pay.

Michael looked back at him stubbornly and squinted, "But it's so great and stealing art is illegal." 

"Smooth." Rich slipped out from behind a door and waved at Michael cheekily.

"Rich?" Michael tilted his head slightly and pointed at him. Rich nodded in reply and cand back with a sly "Michaaaeell." Earning a laugh from everyone in the room.

Michael thanked them both for the arrangement and explained he had to go give these to his mom and he'd be back in 40 minutes. 

"Alright, see you again in forty Michael." Jeremy wished him off as he left. As he re-entered Rich sat atop of the counter Jeremy wondered for only a second how he got up there before Rich spoke.

"You know he's kinda hot?" Jeremy pegged him in the arm for his words. 

"You have a boyfriend, Rich. I'll tell him-" 

"Nothing you can that I haven't already Jere. And I wasn't saying for me..." Rich trailed off wiggling his eyebrows suggestively at Jeremy. 

"No, Rich, I'm not doing this with you." He rolled his eyes at Rich as he jumped down from the counter. 

"Come ooon, just this one time? Pwease for meee?" Rich pleaded in a mock baby voice. 

"No, Never. You're not setting me up with anybody." 

Rich pouted and with a string of mumbles exited into the back room of the shop.

• • •

As promised Michael came back in forty minutes with a backpack and two slushies handing the blue one over to Jeremy. "Ready to go?" 

Jeremy panicked and looked back at Rich who waved him off with one hand and winked. 

"Alright yeah, let's go."


	3. Zinnia and Coreopsis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shout out to reilly for helping me out with flower names.

To be completely fair to Jeremy he didn't expect Michael to drag him off from work when he got back and in a spur of the moment he just said yes, and oh god he left rich alone at the shop poor flowers. 

Michael laughed and Jeremy realised thay he had said the part about Rich outloud and covered his mouth with his hand, "Oh my God, you don't trust him with those plants at all." 

"To be fair they need as much assistance as a human 12 year old and I don't trust Rich to take care of himself." Jeremy insisted and Michael began to laugh again whole heartedly. Jeremy found that his laugh was super contagious and began to accidentally started laughing along with him. 

When the giggle fit the two shared died out Jeremy slipped back into his thoughts, where were they going anyways? how long had they been walking? Jeremy was in a desperate want for the information and at war with himself over asking or not. 

On the one hand he could ask and get it over with and he would get an answer and everything would go over smoothly, but on the other hand what if its a surprise and he is being to persistent and Michael ends up hating him. To him both options were equally plausible and real so he decided to just not risk it. Fortunately enough as soon as his thoughts subsided Michael came to a full stop in front of a little park on the corner of a street. He thought about what a weird place for a park it was, he supposed maybe it was for the school on one side but also across the street it was a seven-eleven and a few other little shops. 

Weird but not unwelcomed to him. He  looked over at Michael who offered up no words and started walking on the grass towards the middle of the field. Jeremy only semi-reluctantly followed him up the grass and watched as he sat down, mindlessly slurping at the semi-melted slushie in his hand and making Jeremy aware of how cold his hand was as he switched it to the left.

He sat next to Michael and stared at him for a second tilting his head waiting until Michael spoke. 

"So tell me about yourself."

•   •   •

Michael watched as Jeremy looked for a second before he responded. 

"Um, My full name is Jeramiah Heere... I'm a month away from being twenty, and I'd like to consider myself, er-uhm, a pretty chill guy?" The hint of uncertainty in what he was saying was apparent in Jeremy's words and Michael nodded along with him. 

"Alright, I'm Michael Mell, I'm twenty in," he counted on his fingers, "seven months from being twenty, and I work at a record store a few roads down from here." Michael hummed at the end of his statement and Jeremy raised his eyebrowsout of curiousity. 

"You work at a Record store?" 

Michael flashed him a huge grin, "Oh yeah man, God it's the dream job. My co-workers are great and I get to be surrounded by the coolest music all day. Hell, this one time my exco-worker Jake and I got stoned in the shop after closing hours and sat there laughing for hours, he doesn't work with us anymore but he was the raddest dude." Michael beamed about his work for a minute or two more, like how he got one free record every month as part of his pay or how this girl Chloe came in every other week just to hang, before turning the conversation back to Jeremy. "So what about your floral gig?" 

Jeremy snorted at the word gig to describe his work, "It's nice, I started working their senior year to get some extra cash and Rich joined me like six months in. It was run by this elderly couple but its more or less just me and Rich there most of the time, sometimes his boyfriend stops in to help out for an hour or two but he's a pretty busy guy so, we can't blame him to much." Jeremy slipped into a more talkative tone then when he started speaking. Michael found himself enjoying that way of him talking more, it seemed to be a genuine authentic version of his voice.

"Coming to think about it I think that Rich's boyfriend Jake also worked at a record store for a month or so before he went back to school and 'sports', weird what a coincidence huh?" He added on and Michael pause to ponder  for a second. 

Oh my God- "Oh my God, there is no way in hell that your Rich is the Rich Goranski that Jake would never stop talking about, there is no way in hell." Michael spoked animatedly and rather loudly to him to convey his point, "No no no, because if that was the same Rich I have the reserved right to hit him because Jake talked about him so, so much." 

Jeremy laughed at the way Michael spoke about the subject it was rather funny, the waving of his arms and the way he put stress on Rich's name everytime, or how he had to stop to push up his glasses on his face every couple of sentences. Jeremy found himself curling over laughing by the time Michael finished his rant, how 'now I can't hit him because he's actually a cool dude this is the worst ugh', Jeremy couldn't catch his breath he was laughing so hard, soon Michael joined in and they resolved back into their shared fit of humor.

As they calmed down Michael pulled out his phone to check for messages, unlocking it when he saw one.

From "M O m": Where are you at its nearly 4? 

To "M O m": Not coming home tonight don't wait up for me, not that you ever do lol.

He clicked off the screen not waiting for a proper response before sighing and realising he'd have to find a place to stay. Maybe he could go to his dad's house early, he shot down the idea in his head, he knew how busy his dad was and he didn't want to bug him.

"Something wrong, Michael?" Jeremy snapped him right out of his thoughts with his voice and he sighed. 

"Nope, don't worry bout it Jere, just trying to figure out a place to stay tonight," Michael smiled weakly at him and adjusted his headphones on his shoulder slightly.

"I could house you in my apartment for tonight maybe? I live alone I could find some place to stash you," Jeremy completely forgot about the whole 'friends for black market kidneys' sentiment for long enough to get the sentence out. Michael stayed silent for a few moments and Jeremy worried that he'd over stepped his boundaries and made him feel  uncomfortable.

"I wouldn't want to impose myself on you..." Michael thought allowed before being only a little bit interrupted.

"No no, it would be on me don't worry about it, we could play video games or something too." Michael got lost in thought again for a few seconds. 

"If you're okay with it so am I." 

• • •

They realized once they tried to start walking to Jeremy's apartment from the park that he had no idea where he was going from that spot. So they had to walk all the way back to the Floral shop just so that they could get to where they needed to be.

Passing the shop Jeremy intinctually pulled on the door to make sure Rich locked it up properly, thankfully he did and the doors didn't budge so they continued walking in a semi-comfortable silence. Soon the apartment complex was in viewing range and they approached walking up a case of stairs with Jeremy leading the way. 

They slowed down for a second as Jeremy kicked the second door on the right hand side and Michael stood spooked for a second before Jeremy shrugged with a 'It's Rich's door' before continuing down the pathway. 

That's kind of an explanation Michael thought, still slightly confused but less-so then before. 

Eventually they made it to Jeremy's apartment and he unlocked the door, opening it to let Michael in before himself. 

Michael stood in the room for a second looking around. The apartment fit Jeremy pretty well, an organized kind of mess of a two room apartment with the kitchen attached to the living room. It was nice. 

Michael made his way over to a couch and sat down hoping that he wasn't making himself unwanted in some way or another. His nerves were put at ease when Jeremy sat next to him. Michael thought about how much he wish that he had this, his own apartment the way he wanted it. His own place to do whatever he pleased but he just didn't have the means to make this happen.

"You wanna play something?" Jeremy asked effectively breaking up Michael's thoughts for a second time and handing him a controller. 

"Hell yeah, your pick." Jeremy selected again and they played for awhile before switching to another game and cycling through like that while making simple conversation.

"So you kick Rich's door?" Michael questioned Jeremy still having pent up curiosity and confusion from earlier. Jeremy let out a laughing noise and answered, "Oh yeah, you'll probably hear him come by and kick my door in the morning, if your lucky Jake will be with him and we'll hear two kicks."

Jeremy and Michael laughed for a moment still focusing on the game at hand. "Hey Michael?" Jeremy didn't turn his gaze to him while sitting next to him.

"Yeah?" 

"Why couldn't you go home tonight?" 

Michael looked at him trying string together enough words to form an appropriate answer. "Ah, I didn't need to see my," he cleared his throat, "Mother tonight."

Jeremy nodded and didn't speak again for a while a few minutes passing between them, "Is there a reason why?" 

"What?" 

''A reason you didn't need to see her?" 

Michael contemplated for mere moments before answering, "She would've called me all sortsa different slurs for who I am and I dont need her transphobic, homophobic language to ruin my good day." 

Jeremy didn't speak again and Michael began to panic that maybe he had just over shared and Jeremy was angry with him for that. 

"Wow what an asshole." 

That's all he said and Michael glanced at him wide eyed for a second before bursting into a fit of chuckles because oh my god no one had ever said that before. 

He sighed before speaking again, "Thanks Jere you really just made my day." Michael wiped his eyes from the laughing tears that had formed. 

Jeremy snorted at him, "Glad I could do that for you man." 

•   •   •

They stayed playing games for a while longer before they both decided it was time to hit the hay and Jeremy went to grab some blankets and pillows and Michael protested. 

"No no, please sleep in your bed you don't have to accomidate me." Jeremy laughed at him. "Don't worry about it, it's fine Michael." 

After a tad bit more mindless arguing Jeremy won him over and the both settled onto the floor and into silence.

Michael flopped onto his side and tried to get comfortable and realised the silence was making him anxious. He wasn't usually afraid of the dark, okay no that's a lie, he was scared of everything but it was becoming especially prevalent and he burst out. 

"Do you ever think about how lions and squids don't know that the other exists?" 

There was silence for another moment followed by Jeremy's busting  out laughing followed by a "Shut the hell up Michael."

He felt much more safe now that he heard someone else speak to him and began to relax into a sleepy state. 

A slight bump at the door made Michael practically jump into the air. Jeremy just laughed, "I wonder what Rich is doing awake." 

They shared one more sleepy laugh before both separately dozing off.


	4. Orange Tulips and Aster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry the chapter took so long i got busy with school starting ): happy how it turned out though

The two had to wake up fairly early in the morning for Jeremy to get to work on time. At the door, Jeremy waved Michael off as he started to walk down the street towards the shop.

Michael stood outside Jeremy's door for a minute deciding on what to do. He pulled his phone out of his pocket to check for messages and was greeted by several from his mother. He swiped the notifications away and decided to wonder around aimlessly until his dad was ready to pick him up.

Steadily he found his was down the stairs and back onto the public sidewalk, stuffing his hands into his pockets and pulling his hood up over his head. He started walking down the street again towards his own work place. Michael found comfort in his job, it was a nice little shop with the walls strewn with lines of old, non-functional records and the floor littered with boxes upon boxes of working ones.

For him it was kind of like a real home, his dad living two hours away in New York and his mother being well, the way she was. It was a place where he knew he could be safe and not have to worry about things in that moment.

Michael opened the door and was flooded with an old song that he couldn't quite name but had definitely heard before and the smell of slightly old cardboard. He took a seat in one of the lounge chairs in the room and put his headphones over his ears, looking around the room in familiarity before relaxing into the spot. Slowly dozing back off.

• • •

Jeremy halfway rushed his way down the street to the shop only a few roads down. He was in the most casual way possible freaking out about being late, even when being fully aware about the fact that he wasn't late yet and even if he wasn't no one would care.

Still he walked with quite a bit of quick to his step figuring that even if nobody cared he was late that Rich would be there alone too, which is to long of a time for him to be there alone in Jeremy's opinion. Soon enough he got there and unlocked the door, meaning Rich wasn't there alone yet. Jeremy silently thanked whatever deity was responsible before entering.

Making his way into the back he punched his card into the...thing (He figured their was a name for it somewhere out there) before making his way to the front and switching the sign to open. A few minutes later Rich entered making his best attempt to jump over the counter that is about half Jeremy's size little loan Rich's size. Right after his vague attempt he stumbled and with a thud hit the ground almost completely face first.

"You alright, dude?" Jeremy restrained a laugh in his throat and Rich groaned low.

"All good Jere, not like I feel like I might have a concussion or something." Sarcasm laced Rich's voice in a more than just obvious way. Jeremy snorted out a loud laugh and covered his mouth with his hand.

Rich pulled himself back up and narrowed his eyes at Jeremy, rubbing the back of his head, "Listen here one of these days you're gonna get hurt and I will laugh, then and only then will you know true humiliation."

And Jeremy pulled his head back and another round of chuckles escaped him at Rich's comments, sighing to calm himself down. Rich rolled his eyes before making his way over to Jeremy, pulling his elbow up to balance on his shoulder stretching to reach but landing about half an arm down.

"Laugh all you want," Rich ended the conversation at that leaving Jeremy to think about what his revenge plan that was definitely coming was, "Anyways who was at your apartment last night?"

Jeremy stared at him in slight confusion, "How did you know someone was in my apartment?"

"You don't yelp when I kick your door. So, was it that Michael guy?"

"Dude stop guessing things it's creepy."

"So I'm right."

Rich leaned back into Jeremy as he nodded and he silently gave himself a mental win point.

"Soo...Did you two-" Jeremy interrupted him abruptly before he could finish his thought.

"Absolutely not Rich, I barely know the guy calm down for like ten seconds dude." Jeremy huffed as Rich began to mockingly count to ten on his fingers. Jeremy made his way to the back before Rich could lift all of his fingers. He picked up a spray bottle and began to spritz down all of the small bushels watching a couple of drops gather on leaves and several petals. He sighed making his way around the entire room making sure to get every plant. H made his way through slowly several times going through his everyday plant routine before proceeding back to the front to join Rich.

"How was your ten seconds of calm down?" Jeremy asked sarcastically.

"Actually it was one hundred and thirty eight seconds but," Rich turned his head to make direct eye contact, "Who's counting?"

Jeremy looked Rich up and down, squinting his eyes. "Not you, I can see the calculator on your phone."

"Shit-"

. . .

Michael's phone buzzed in his hand promptly interrupting his music and his sleep. He groggily shook his head, pulling his phone out of his hoodie pocket. Swiping to answer he unconsciously pulled his arm up with the phone to speak realizing his headphones were on and letting it fall back down, zoning back into the call.

"Hey champ you there? Mikey? Michael?"

Michael pulled himself out of it, "Hey Dad," his voice came out hoarse from sleeping for- he glanced down at his phones clock- a few hours.

"Where ya at? I'm almost there."

Michael rubbed his eyes from under his glasses that had made an indention on his face. "You know where the record store I work at is right?"

"The place down town?" His dad answered back from the other end, recalling where the building was in a questioning tone.

"That's the one."

"Okay hang tight for a bit, I'll be there in a little bit Mikey, Love ya kiddo." Michael smiled into his phone.

"Love ya too dad." and the call ended with a click. Leaving Michael to stretch his arms up over his head with a yawn. He pulled himself up into a standing position, looking around and heading outside with the ring of the bell on the door behind him.

Outside Michael sat on the curb of the street watching an array of boring colored cars pass along on the packed downtown streets. Moving his head in several directions looking at the old buildings around him and all the different people scattered along the sidewalk from teenagers jumping from shop to shop or the elderly from the bus. Michael quickly became distracted from his wait while looking around, becoming shocked when a car parked beside him and honked. In a moment of panic he fell back looking up and joke-scowling at who it was.

"Dad holy- don't do that." His dad laughed as Michael climbed into the passenger seat of his car and buckled himself up.

"Just having my fun," his dads laughter died down as they started driving gain, "So how you been Michael?"

Michael sighed, fidgeting with the car radio, "Tiring. Saving up for an apartment, dealing with her, the works."

"I'm sorry Kiddo, you know my offer to come live with me permanently always stands..."

Michael exhaled, "I know Papa, but I'll be out of there in no time and everything I love is here and-"

"Don't worry about it Kiddo, I'm just letting you know the offer always stands if you need it." HE reached over with his right arm and ruffled Michael's hair.

"Thanks Dad."

Eventually Michael finally got the radio station to where he wanted with minimal questioning from his Dad. Two and a half hours passed as soon as possible before they arrived at the house. Michael opened the door grabbing the small backpack of things he had and heading inside. Setting his bag down in the doorway he thanked his father again before heading up the stairs into the room designated his by a sign marked with his name he made when at sixteen. He made his way in to his room letting a sigh of content escape him as he flopped down on his bed.

He pulled his phone out of the hoodie pocket it had been residing in since the car ride, quickly swiping out of more of his mothers texts before seeing another one.

From Jeremy: Hey Michael, got off work wanna hang out again tonight?

Michael quickly tapped out a reply and sent it.

To Jeremy: Sorry dude, at my dads for the weekend, maybe next time.

He quickly got a reply.

From Jeremy: Oh cool, wheres your dad live?

To Jeremy: New York lol

From Jeremy: Ur serious??

To Jeremy: Yup, sorry man.

From Jeremy: No prob, maybe next time, oh btw now i gotta tell rich ur deepest darkest secrets!!

To Jeremy: u dont know my secrets u nerd

From Jeremy: Or do I?? ((((:

Michael laughed and let his phone fall down onto his bed. Finishing off his snickering before rolling over on his side and falling back asleep for the third time that day.

. . .

"So he's not coming?" Rich laid back on Jeremy's couch, controller in hand lazily pushing buttons.

"Apparently not he's at his dad's house." Jeremy answered from the other side of the couch.

"In New York?" Jake piped up from the floor, looking up over his shoulder at Jeremy. Watching him nod and looking back down at his phone, "Cool."

Rich furrowed his eyebrows and looked at Jake momentarily before turning his attention back to the TV screen. "Wait how'd you know that?"

"I worked with him Rich, you've been there when I worked with him, you've had a conversation with him Rich." Jake saw no bells going off and looked back at him, "He sold you the Evanescence CD for 'ironic purposes'."

"Holy shit you're right!" Rich turned to look at Jeremy excitedly, "He memed with me Jere, We did memes." Jeremy paused the game.

"You're serious?"

Jake and Rich nodded at Jeremy simultaneously. Jeremy laughed loud.

"God that makes so much sense."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i had to look up how to spell spritz for this chapter tbh


End file.
